Soul Butterfly Daycare: Nap Time
Nap Time: Grimmow begrudgingly offers Orihime some advice that ultimately helps Ulquiorra sleep better.
Ulquiorra stared sullenly over at Ichigo Kurosaki having a Legos tea party with Orihime. Rukia Kuchiki was absent again and since he had no one to play with, Orihime decided to invite the orange - haired boy to have tea with her. Ulquiorra had hidden and the Woman had been too busy to remember to invite him.
Since the incident yesterday - Ulquiorra's cheeks reddened when he thought of the Woman carrying him on her back - they had barely spoken. As her best boyfriend, Ulquiorra knew that Ichigo Kurosaki was special to Orihime; and yet Ulquiorra had still fought with him and consequently hurt the Woman. She hated to see any of her friends hurt. Ulquiorra felt like a jerk.
“The robots like caffein free tea,” Orihime protested just as Ichigo's stuff toy rabbit was about to pour a cup of tea into the Legos robot's cup. To Ulquiorra, they sounded ridiculous; but if the Woman had asked him, he would have brewed a real pot of caffeine free, Blackberry Sage Tea from his father's private collection back at home. Orihime deserved the best. Ulquiorra resented the idea that Ichigo Kurosaki seemed to be the only one that could give her the best.
“Hey what's taking you so long?” Grimmjow demanded. Ulquiorra was so caught up in his musings that he hadn't noticed him approach. He barely spared him a glance.
“We're suppose to be playing super heroes.” Grimmjow held up his Ninja Turtle for emphasis.
“Come on, Renji brought his Transformer. Where's your Batman?”
Ulquiorra slumped down, remembering how Ichigo had smashed his Batman action figure. It had been a low blow. He had almost cried and had left the the toy on the red carpet. He didn't know what had happened to it after that.
“Old man Yamamoto probably threw it out,” Ulquiorra mumbled. Grimmjow frowned.
“Is that why you're hiding in a cubby - hole?”
Ulquiorra was smooshed with his head bent down, his knees drawn up and his shoulders tucked into a small nook, closet space for his coat and backpack.
“No,” Ulquiorra snapped quietly and shot a meaningful look at Orihime.
“Come on class. Let's gather on the red carpet. Grab your sleeping mats. It's nap time,” Yamamoto called out. Wordlessly, Ulquiorra grabbed his green sleeping mat and wondered over to where Nel, Tatsuki and Uryu were setting up their own sleeping mats.
“No! No - you can't make me take a nap!” Renji shouted and ran out of the classroom with his Transformer toy. Old man Yamamoto hobbled after him. Grimmjow chuckled. The same thing happened every day. Renji couldn't stand the idea of sleeping during the day.
“Come on Ichigo. It's nap time,” Orihime called. Grimmjow watched as the two put their toys away before grabbing their nap mats. As they brushed by, Grimmjow reached out and tugged on Orihime's sleeve.
“Hey!” Both she and Ichigo paused.
“I need to talk to ya,” Grimmjow whispered. Ichigo sneered.
“She doesn't have to do anything. Don't let this guy bully you.”
Grimmjow rolled his eyes. Kurosaki was so full of himself. He didn't have to be everyone's hero - and what was this about bullying? Grimmjow had never bullied anyone.
Orihime turned to Ichigo.
“Why don't you go on ahead. I'll catch up in a minute,” she promised. Ichigo gave her a skeptical look before shooting Grimmjow a nasty glare and stomping off. The five year old crossed his arms.
“What is he - your body guard? Why are you two so buddy - buddy all of a sudden?” He demanded. Orihime crossed her own arms.
“There's nothing wrong with having buddies,” she countered. Grimmjow narrowed his eyes.
“It is when you leave other people out. My parents told me all about what the word 'excluded' means.”
Orihime cocked her head, confused.
“What do you mean?”
“I thought Ulquiorra was your best boyfriend?” Grimmjow's question sounded more like a demand. Orihime didn't understand what he was getting at.
“He is-”
“-Then why aren't you playing with him?” Grimmjow interrupted.
“He's been all sad and mopy since yesterday.” Grimmjow whispered. Orihime looked guilty over at Ulquiorra who was lying on his side with his back to her. She had been so busy with Ichigo that she hadn't even noticed...
“It's just Ichigo usually plays with Rukia and since she's not here,” Orihime began to explain. Grimmjow snorted.
“Save your words. You can play with them both, you know?”
Orihime twisted her fingers nervously.
“I tried but Ulquiorra doesn't like Ichigo very much,” she whined, somewhat confused by her own emotions. She liked Ichigo - didn't she? But Ulquiorra was very special to her.
“So what? I don't like Ichigo either,” Grimmjow told her deadpanned.
“The point is, you should make some time for him. He fought Kurosaki to be with you!” Grimmjow suddenly shouted with accusing eyes. Orihime took an intimidated step back.
“Or were you lying when you said that if Ulquiorra left, then you would follow him?”
Orihime gasped, somewhat embarrassed by Grimmjow's paraphrasing. She had meant it though, right? Of course she had. Her stomach felt tingly all of a sudden as she watched the boy with raven hair sleeping. He looked like he was having a nightmare.
“There's no accounting for taste. You can be friend with Kurosaki,” Grimmjow shrugged.
“but don't stop being friends with Ulquiorra. The dweeb needs you,” Grimmjow spoke scruffily, realizing how stupidly sentimental he sounded. Ulquiorra owed him. A lot - maybe all of his blue crayons and a month's supply of chocolate.
“Hey idiot!” Tatsuki snarled. Grimmjow felt a fist slam into his cheek. Orihime blinked as she watched the spectacle unfold. Tatsuki had been on the red carpet only moment ago. How did she move so quickly?
“Dang it, girl! What was that for?” Grimmjow rubbed his cheek. For someone so little, the dark haired four year old had a surprisingly strong left hook. It was like her hand was made for punching.
“Why are you picking on Orihime?” Tatsuki demanded.
“What are you talking about!?”
Giggling, Orihime left Tatsuki and Grimmjow and skipped over to the red carpet. Ichigo had set up his sleeping mat some ways away from Ulquiorra. Patting the space next to him, it was clear that he expected Orihime to choose him.
Tonight, the academic clubs started. Unlike the schools in Japan, Soul Butterfly Daycare fashioned itself after the Western programs and there would be a twelve week break over summer. The clubs would help to strengthen all the children's studies over the break but it was divided into different subjects.
Orihime and Ichigo were the only ones in their class that would see eachother. The rest of their classmates were in different clubs or being tutored at home or - in Ulquiorra's case - seeing a shrink. Their time together was drawing short.
She should cherish every moment that they had together now.
Taking a deep breath, Orihime placed her sleeping mat in the empty space between Ichigo and Ulquiorra. The latter was still caught up in some nightmare and slept on obliviously. Ichigo however, noticed and waved emphatically over to the other side of his sleeping mat where he hoped that she would move to.
Orihime pretended not to notice and simply waved back and smiled before turning away from Ichigo and taking Ulquiorra's hand that had slipped out of his blanket. Moving to lie down, Orihime noticed that his troubled expression had cleared.
Smiling she whispered quietly,
“Sweet dreams 'Quiorra.”
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